Sunday, August 22, 2010

Saw something in the forums today that utterly strains credulity. A "Gracehp" claims he or she heard from a church staff that City Harvest cell group leaders and all the church's pastors earn a commission by bringing people to church. In my seven years in church, I've never heard of such a thing. It is plausible if a few CGLs would dare try such a stunt... but this must be a joke.

Good for laughs really, Terence Lee

Today I met with a long lost secondary school friend who is working at city harvest now.

She revealed to me the secrets of how CHC and Kong Hee earns big bucks.

Actually, from cell group leaders all the way to Kong Hee earn a commission when they get new members to join the church.

For example, a member who earns 3k a month is recruited into the church. He donates 10% of his salary which is $300 a month to the church.

He will be introduced into a cell group and as long as the cell group leader(CGL) manage to make him stay and make him donate 10% of his salary every month, the CGL will earn a commission.

CGL earns 10% of $300 which is $30 a month. Each cell grup is estimated to have around 10 to 30 members so we shall take 20 members in a cell group as a example. The CGL will earn $30 multiply by 20 members which is already $600 a month.

On top of that, the CGL will encourage his cell group members to bring new members into the church in which he will get the commission which is $30 a month assuming the person earns 3k a month. The CGL does not tell his cell group members about this so his kum gong cell group members keep on brining in new members not knowing that its the CGL and the Pastors who benefits while they get nothing.

The Pastor gets a higher commission of 20% a member. So Pastor gets $60 a member. Each Pastor is in charge of around 10 cell groups and assuming each cell group have 20 members the Pastor gets $60 x 20 members x 10 cell groups= $12k a month.

Kong Hee gets the highest of 40% commission.

Assuming that there are 30,000 members in city harvest and each of them earns 3k a month, he earns $120 X 30,000 members = $3,600,000 a month which is even more than what our Ministers are earning.

The remaining 30% which is $90 multiply by 30,000 members=$2,700,000 goes into the church fund which is used to pay staff salaries, electricity bills, investment etc.

Do note that using 3k a month salary as a guideline is already very low as CHC is full of rich people who easily earn more than 3k a month.

On top of that, CGL and Pastors are entitled to claim for travelling expenses etc so their earnings are much more than that.

So people, next time when you want to donate 10% of your salary to CHC think carefully.

I think it has been exagerated. However, read it with a pinch of salt. If this is true sooner or later the whole truth will surface. If this is just a rumor soon it will be forgotten. However, the Chinese proverb has this to say, "the wave will not roar, if there is no wind." We will listen with an open mind anything could happen in the time of deceit. Things that we would not want to believe have happened right before our eyes.

GOE: Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth? - Galatians 4:16

1) EAGLES MUST UPHOLDING THE TRUTH - Dear children, let's not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions (1 Jn 3:18). Truth without love is cruelty, but love without truth is hypocrisy. But, speaking the truth in love, we may grow up into Him in all things, who is the Head, the Christ (Ephesians 4:15).

2) EAGLES MUST FOCUS ON JESUS AND CALLING - Therefore, holy brothers, partners in a heavenly calling, keep your focus on Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession (Hebrews 3:1)

3) IT'S TIME FOR THE EAGLES TO GATHER - “Gather to me My faithful ones, who made a covenant with Me by sacrifice!” (Psalms 50:5), Whoever is not with Me is against Me, and whoever does not gather with Me scatters. (Matthew 12:30)

- JL

Disclaimer:

It is my aim to post messages in which I hear the cry of the Spirit, but I do not necessarily agree with every word that comes forth and is posted here. Some may be dubious but worth your consideration. Please use your own judgement and discern for yourself. Please feel free to copy and share these articles along with the Link to this Blog. Though distribution of this material via e-mail, or individual copies, is permitted, it is on the condition that it will be used solely for non-commercial purposes and will not be sold or used in anyway for profit. Thank you.

Since July 5, 2010

Followers

Great Quotes: Make sure that the light you think you have is not actually darkness. Luke 11:35

There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn't true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true.

Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855)

The only man who has the right to say that he is justified by grace alone is the man who has left all to follow Christ - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

The doctrine of blind obedience and unqualified submission to any human power, whether civil or ecclesiastical, is the doctrine of despotism, and ought to have no place among Christians - Angelina Grimke

Loyalty towards other humans is not absolute, and that such loyalty should only be to God. “No organization ever views its leaders as infallible. If they do, they do not understand the concept of obedience towards the leader." -MYR

The bee is more honored than other animals, not because she labors, but because she labors for others - John Chrysostom

A towering ego, an insatiable appetite for adoration and applause, a rampant libido, and above all, an eye on the big money, mark out the "charismatic" personality well-suited to the business of religion. All he needs is oratorical skill, unbridled ambition and a leg-up from a "name" already in the business -Mat 7:15-20 a good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit...... therefore, by their fruits you will know them.

“So any adroit (clever or skillful), unscrupulous fellow, who knows the world, has only to get among these simple souls and his fortune is quickly made; he plays with them.” – Lucian of Samosata, "The Passing of Peregrinus." (2nd century AD).

"After the prophets, the false prophets; after the apostles, the false apostles; after Christ, anti-Christ." - John Chrysostom

Trials teach us what we are; they dig up the soil, and let us see what we are made of. If we cannot believe God when circumstances seem be against us, we do not believe Him at all - Charles Spurgeon

We are commanded to have only one enemy, the devil. With him never be reconciled! But with a brother, never be at enmity in thy heart.Correct him, but not as a foe, nor as an adversary exacting a penalty, but as a physician providing medicines - John Chrysostom

“Men live in glad obedience to the masters they believe in, or they live in a frictional opposition to the master they wish to undermine.” – D.H. Lawrence

“People suppose they may be followers of Christ and yet ignore the path which He traveled; that they may decline the unpleasant task of denying self and yet make sure of heaven. What a delusion!” —A. W. Pink (1886–1952)

Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction - Blaise Pascal

To render good for evil is divine.’ To render good for good is human.’ To render evil for evil is brutish.’ But to render evil for good is devilish! - Thomas Brooks